Maaaring lumabag sa Code of Conduct ng bansa si Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. dahil sa pagtanggap niya sa birthday bash na iniregalo sa kanya ng kanyang mga “old friends” noong Setyembre 13. Sa nasabing birthday bash ay nagperform ang 1980s British pop rock band na Duran Duran.
Sa ulat ng BusinessWorld, sinabi ng mga political analyst na ang naging celebration ay maaaring may “appearance ng impropriety” kung kaya kailangang humingi ng paumanhin ang presidential palace at sabihin kung sino ang mga sponsor ng event.
Ayon kay Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco, isang abogado at research fellow sa Ateneo Policy Center, nasasasaad sa Section 7 ng Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials na ang mga pampublikong opisyal at empleyado ay pinagbabawal na mag-solicit, tumanggap directly or indirectly ng kahit na anong regalo, gratuity, favor, entertainment, loan or kahit na anong may monetary value mula sa isang tao habang siya ay on official duties “or in connection with any operation being regulated by, or any transaction which may be affected by the functions of their office.”
Ang Presidential Decree No. 46, isang decree na pirmado ng ama ni Marcos at may parehong pangalan, ay nagsasaad na “it is punishable for any public official or employee, whether of the national or local governments, to receive directly or indirectly, and for private persons to give, or offer to give, any gift, present or other valuable thing on any occasion.”
Ayon sa website ng Celebrity Talent International, ang Duran Duran ay may talent fee na hanggang $1 million bawat booking.
Saad naman ni Philip Arnold P. Tuaño, dean ng Ateneo de Manila University School of Government, na habang hindi malinaw kung nagkaroon ng kaalaman ang Pangulo tungkol sa concert bago pumasok sa hotel sa Pasay, “it would have been best if he had already informed his friends and associates that the holding of extensive entertainment events is out of place in his administration.”
Ani pa ni Tuaño sa isang email sa Businessworld, sa pagpapaalalang ito maipapakita ng Pangulong Marcos ang pagsulong niya ang code.
“By constantly reminding his official family in government and also their associates of the need for simplicity of lifestyle, the President can foster a culture of prudence, modesty and accountability,” sabi niya.
Samantala, sinabi naman ni Terry L. Ridon, isang abogado at dating party-list lawmaker, sa Businessworld na hindi dapat ipagwalang-bahala ng presidential palace ang concert bilang simpleng regalo mula sa mga kaibigan ng Pangulo. Dagdag pa niya, kailangan i-disclose ng presidential palace kung sino-sino ang private sponsors ng concert kasama na ang full accounting ng mga expenses para maliwanag sa publiko na hindi nga lumabag sa batas ang pangulo.
Sinabi rin niya na ang mga private sponsors ay dapat nagkaroon ng “simple political sense.” “The fallout from the event had clearly subjected the President to embarrassment and tarnished his political capital amid intense national political intramurals with his former election allies.”
Nagdiwang ang Pangulong Marcos noong katapusan ng linggo ng kanyang 67th birthday. Sinabi ng Presidential Communications Office na nagdiwang ang Presidente ng kanyang kaarawan “with his signature compassion for the needy and the sick, and his deep appreciation for the farmers who feed the nation.”
“After a tiring day filled with official engagements, he attended a party thrown by his old friends at a hotel in Pasay, and to his surprise and appreciation, music was provided by Duran Duran,” dagdag pa nito.
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